Government Clown Just Can’t Quit Coal Power

cleantechnica.com Sep 12, 2026

Government Clown Just Can’t Quit Coal Power

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 12, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

A federal court ruled that Energy Secretary Chris Wright exceeded his authority by issuing an emergency order to keep Michigan’s J.H. Campbell coal plant operational beyond its scheduled retirement. The decision, issued by the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, reversed Wright’s order and underscored that emergency directives are meant for extreme circumstances. Wright immediately countered with a new emergency order to keep Washington’s Centralia Unit 2 online, a plant slated to retire in 2025. The moves highlight a broader conflict over coal plant closures and energy policy.

💡 Why It Matters

· The ruling limits the Energy Department’s ability to override planned plant retirements, potentially reshaping how states manage grid reliability and transition to cleaner energy.

Read full article on cleantechnica.com

VinFast PH Opens More Dealers Nearing 60 Dealer Total Before Year Ends

Vietnam-based electric vehicle manufacturer VinFast has signed Memoranda of Understanding with 13 major Philippine automotive dealer partners to establish 27 new showrooms nationwide. This strategic expansion supports the company’s goal of reaching 60 operational dealerships across the archipelago by year-end. Antonio Zara, CEO of VinFast Southeast Asia, identified the Philippines as a key market for long-term regional growth. The new locations will span Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, extending beyond Metro Manila and Cebu to emerging provincial markets like Subic Bay, Tacloban, and Cagayan de Oro. Each site will feature vehicle displays and full-service after-sales support. This retail push aligns with the Electric Vehicle Industry Development Act, which offers tax incentives and traffic exemptions. VinFast aims to capture early market share in the evolving green mobility landscape by leveraging local partners’ expertise and real estate networks to build a comprehensive zero-emission ecosystem including sales, charging infrastructure, and technical support.

💡 VinFast’s rapid physical expansion into provincial hubs demonstrates a strategy to bypass traditional urban saturation and directly access underserved markets where EV adoption is nascent. By integrating sales with service infrastructure in emerging cities, the manufacturer addresses a critical barrier to electric vehicle ownership: reliable local support outside major metropolitan centers.

energy-storage.news · Sep 12

BESS Industry Buzz: Beijing’s manufacturing ban, ‘responsible’ data centre policy, LDES economics…

Reuters reports that China has paused approvals for new energy‑storage manufacturing projects, a move linked to a recent sales tax on lithium‑ion cells and the country’s first decline in storage deployments. Energy‑tech investor Volta Energy Technologies’ James Frith believes the pause aims to avoid a price war similar to those seen in solar and EV cells. Meanwhile, industry voices highlight four distinct sodium‑ion chemistries—layered oxides, NFPP, NVPF and Prussian‑Blue Analogues—each targeting different applications from EVs to grid storage, but facing varied manufacturing hurdles. In the United States, Massachusetts introduced a framework obligating data centres over 25 MW to fund clean energy and grid upgrades, praised by former Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. Australia’s Waratah Super Battery in New South Wales has resumed full output after a transformer failure, successfully completing a 700 MW System Integrity Protection Scheme test. India’s Central Electricity Authority has proposed a rule requiring new solar and wind farms to include storage equal to at least 10 % of capacity for two hours, embedding storage in renewable project design.

💡 China’s manufacturing pause could reshape global battery pricing dynamics, while Massachusetts’ data‑centre rules set a precedent for utility cost allocation that may influence other jurisdictions.

cleantechnica.com · Sep 11

VICTORY: Court Rules Against Trump’s Michigan Coal Bailout

A U.S. District Court in Columbia ruled against the Trump administration’s Department of Energy, voiding an emergency order that extended the operation of Michigan’s J.H. Campbell coal plant. The court found no energy emergency existed and declared the order unlawful under the Federal Power Act. The decision ends a $600,000‑per‑day cost to Midwest families and allows the plant’s scheduled retirement. Sierra Club, Earthjustice, and Michigan sued, citing health, economic, and environmental harms.

💡 The ruling curtails the administration’s misuse of emergency powers, freeing the site for cleaner energy projects and reducing costly, polluting coal operations.

energy-storage.news · Sep 11

Axpo and energieUri commission Switzerland’s largest operational BESS facility

Axpo and energieUri inaugurated Switzerland’s largest operational battery energy storage system (BESS) in Gurtnellen, Canton Uri, on 9 September 2026. The joint project, located at the Plattischachen industrial site, features a 50 MW installation by Axpo and an 8.4 MW system by energieUri, both supplied by Fluence. Axpo’s BESS will support national grid stability, while energieUri’s unit serves regional demands in Uri. The facilities aim to store surplus renewable power and release it during peak periods, enhancing grid flexibility.

💡 The launch marks a pivotal shift from Switzerland’s traditional pumped‑hydro reliance toward scalable battery storage, positioning the country as a leader in modern grid resilience.

cleantechnica.com · Sep 11

Lexington-Fayette County Council Passes Solar Zoning Amendment, a Win for Lower Bills…

The Lexington‑Fayette Urban County Council approved a zoning ordinance amendment allowing up to 1% of county land, including agricultural zones, for agrivoltaic solar projects. The amendment mandates that all approved projects combine solar generation with farming, preserving soil and local agriculture while advancing the county’s “Race to Net Zero” by 2050. The change is expected to produce power equivalent to more than 30,000 rooftop systems, supporting greenhouse‑gas reductions, cleaner air, and lower energy costs for residents.

💡 By marrying solar energy with farming, the amendment offers a scalable, dual‑benefit solution that can accelerate Kentucky’s transition to renewable power without sacrificing agricultural productivity.

independent.ie · Sep 11

Wicklow electric car registrations jump 63pc as county ranks sixth for fast…

New electric‑vehicle registrations in County Wicklow surged 63.5 % between January and August 2026, rising from 701 to 1,146 units, outpacing the national increase of 55 %. The surge brought electric cars to 39.3 % of all new vehicle registrations in the county, compared with 26.3 % nationally. Volkswagen led the local market with 160 registrations, its ID.4 model accounting for 100 of those and also topping national sales. Tesla, Hyundai, Kia and Skoda followed in popularity. Wicklow’s charging infrastructure supported the growth: the Central Statistics Office reported 126 public charging points at 46 sites by the end of 2025, 78 of which (61.9 %) were fast chargers, placing the county sixth in the nation for fast‑charger share. The opening of a new eight‑stall Tesla Supercharger hub at Jack White’s Inn further expanded high‑power access.

💡 Wicklow’s rapid EV adoption, bolstered by a dense fast‑charging network, demonstrates how targeted infrastructure can accelerate the shift to electric mobility in regional markets.